Dreaming...

I'm starting to dream of a 9 to 5 where I can wear skirts and flats and feel comfortable. I dream of a job where I can organize my own desk, not one that I share with eight other people. I dream of a job that doesn't involve breaking up fights or knowing physical restraints. I dream of a job where I can be a leader, where I can be creative, where I can feel confident. I love kids. I love helping them. I love doing paperwork...it's actually true.

A co-worker told me the other day that I would make a good art therapist. It got me thinking about my calling and what I am good at...

I love that I have been blessed with this job and I love that I have been given such a passion for loving on these girls.

Ecclesiastes 3:12

I've been really busy between work, spending time with Walker and trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life. This week, I have a few training days, but today's was cancelled so I'm working a regular shift until 11pm...but Thursday and Friday, I'm back to learning about the foundations of my job.

Yesterday during our training class, another lady at my table told me that I should be an art therapist. I loved the suggestion because I love art and I want to be a therapist, but I honestly can't afford to further my education right now. I wish higher education in America was free. Maybe when I get my loans paid off in a hundred years, I'll be closer to a masters of something.

Walker and I both had Monday off, so we had lunch with his grandmother and ran some errands with her. It was nice to spend time with them both. We got a gift card in the mail from AT&T so, we used it on dinner last night because we were both wanting Chinese food. Unfortunately, the place we went wasn't the best in the world...I'm still on a search for good Chinese food in this city. We have plans to get Chinese when we are back in Montgomery.

I've spent some time thinking about my calling and what I should be doing to pursue it. I love the Methodist Home and I would really like to be there for a long time, but there are so many things that I have to learn. Maybe one day I will be in a place where I can influence some change.

 "I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live."

"so sick, so sick of being tired, and oh so tired of being sick"

Being sick and having to work is not very much fun, but I am really going to appreciate my day off Thursday. My schedule tomorrow is a little special, but hey, I'm getting 11 hours! I have to go in for a team meeting 10-noon, then I have a training class on medical administration 1-2, then I have a class on confidentiality 2-4, and finally I work a shift in the cottage 5-11. I'm not really sure what to do with those awkward hours in the middle though.

My sore throat morphed into sinus pressure and a runny nose, and today I've been coughing like crazy. When I got off work at 6, Walker forced me to take liquid medicine for it...he's lucky I love him cause I DONT take liquid medicine goo. EVER.

As incentive to take a spoonful of the potent, thick, red goo, Walker took me and his mom out to dinner at Wings! On Tuesdays they have a special on wings so we got ten for him and we got my ten for free!! It was delicious! It's a great deal. Both of us had ten wings and Walker got three of the little beers and it was only like $16.

Walker is thinking about (or pretty much decided now) buying the new iPad, which is really exciting because they are really nice. It's gonna be close to 700 dollars for the 16G with a fancy cover and the apple protection plan thingy...but apparently it is totally worth it...AND its a work expense for him because Havertys has an app that you can use to look at sizes, colors, blah blah blah when you're looking for furniture. If he had one while he was working, he could help customers see what all their options are. It sounds pretty cool.

I am currently doing laundry for the first time in a week and a half. I actually bought a shirt yesterday because I didn't have anything clean to wear and I knew I didn't have time or energy (or quarters) to wash clothes after work at 11. With clean clothes, freshly vacuumed carpet in the apartment, and nothing to do on Thursday, I am planning a day for me to get healthy. I am going to spend the entire day in bed or on the couch, except for the walk I plan to take because the weather is starting to get really nice in the evenings. I am going to drink hot tea, explore pinterest, and sleep. I might also watch a super cliche chick flick. Thats the official plan. Of course, if you have suggestions for how I should spend my day, I am definitely open to them.

Sick Day...Work Day

So, it's Saturday, and not only do I have to work 3 to 11, but I'm sickly. After taking Walker some pretzles and soda at work, I have spent the day on the couch with a box of tissues and some cough drops. I'm thankful for online bill pay so I could feel a little productive!

I have read two pretty cool blogs that are worth reading...

The first is a woman who decided for her 38th birthday, she would give one random act of kindness for every year of her life. Robyn's blog tells all about her random acts (with pictures), and lists some other things that her friends and family did on her birthday as well. It's a really cool idea to give on your birthday, and she inspired other people to pay it forward too.

The second one is a little less inspirational and a little more self-help. 21 Secrets for your 20s lists things that might seem like common sense, but others that are pretty good. number 11 is my favorite:  "If at some point between 22 – 27 you feel like you’re six years old again, lost and alone at the San Diego Zoo (it’s a big-frickin-zoo), frantically searching for a familiar face – hold tight, you’re experiencing a bit of a Quarter-Life Crisis. Stay put. Pray a lot. And in no time someone will call your name across the loud speaker to tell you where you can be found."

T-1 hour before I have to be at work...I'm praying for a smooth evening with the ten ladies I'm really growing to love. They are precious, all in their own ways. Who know a bunch of teenage girls could be so sweet...between moments of yelling and fighting! haha I need a nap!

Pinteret Day!

Today, I tried a few things I found on pinterest just for fun. First, I shaved my legs with Baby Oil. It was surprisingly effective. I felt like it was a closer, cleaner shave than using shaving cream or soap. Plus, baby oil is really moisturizing, so its good for your skin.

Then, I made a sugar scrub! I used regular sugar mixed with the pink Dawn soap that has Olay hand cream in it. (2 parts sugar to one part soap). It exfoliates while you scrub, and it smells delicious!! It was nice after shaving with baby oil too. I put a jar of the scrub in the kitchen; I hate the smell of post-dish washing hands!

Now, I have cucumber lemon water cooling in the fridge.  I made a glass as I was making the gallon for the fridge, and it tastes really refreshing. It's a nice addition to just drinking water, and it's healthier than all those pour in powder packets!

I LOVE TOMS, and I've been thinking about buying another pair since I wear mine to work everyday, but I found this site via pinterest, and I'm getting ready to buy Greg's Purple Paw Canvas Shoes. They are cheaper than TOMS, they still give shoes to the needy, AND they give food to hungry animals! I love supporting organizations like this, and it's nice to switch it up every once in a while.

I also made a few headbands from old T-shirts. It's super easy, and they don't squeeze my head too tight!

I also made a headband out of an old tie that I bought at Goodwill. I don't have a link for this one because it was just a random idea I had. I bought a few ties for Walker, and he just really didn't like one that I bought. haha. It's a brown paisley tie, and I like it, so it's mine now! haha. I cut the tie so that the headband is just the skinny part of the tie. Then I ironed the cut end to make a hem. I used an old earring like a tie pin where the pieces overlap so its totally adjustable.

I'm still on pinterest....so who knows what I'll do next :)

2 Corinthians 12:10

Yesterday was my first day off in 12 days, and I spent it in my apartment ALL day. I literally didn't unlock my front door until like 9:30pm when Walker delivered some rolls from O'Charley's for me. After tackling one room at a time through the apartment, organizing and cleaning, I found an old notebook with notes and stuff from some devotions I did a long time ago, so I spent all afternoon today transferring those notes into my current journal. It was nice to read back through the things I've learned and other things I've forgotten. I try to do that with the journal I have now, but sometimes it hits me in the middle of a sermon that I'm taking notes on that relate to something I've written about before.

Anywho...one thing I wrote about was ministering in weakness. This is one of those things that I know but I don't always remember, if you know what I mean. I know that God chose people in the Bible who weren't exactly the best looking option for the job at hand, and he used them for His glory. That's the point though, its not about us or anything that we can do. When we accomplish things that we can't normally do, we can know that God is working through us. It's hard, though, when we go through the motions that we're used to without any struggle, to remember that God is still working in us. Someone once told me that if you're doing anything that you could have done without God, you aren't being faithful. Having faith is acting with the knowledge that God will provide and protect.

Last week, I was facing situations at work that were new and different to me and I questioned my worthiness for this new job. I wondered if maybe I wasn't really cut out for it. If God can use a man with a speech impediment to lead an important movement, or a weak man to rule an entire nation, then He can use me to face uncertain circumstances and love the seemingly unlovable. I cannot do this job without Him, well I guess I could, but I would probably lose my mind.

I can't do anything without Him.

We crave affirmation from relationships and people, but only God can give it to us. We run to so much for validation, when we don't need anything more than His love. We are all broken and weak, but God is our strength.

I will rejoice in my weakness because "When I am weak, then He is strong."

His grace is sufficient and His power is perfected in weakness.